


The World Doesn't End, It Just Feels Like it Does

by HeereandThere



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Bullying Mention, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 04:52:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15381042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeereandThere/pseuds/HeereandThere
Summary: Michael, heartbroken and desperate to get out of the Halloween party as soon as possible, finds someone just as devastated as him.





	The World Doesn't End, It Just Feels Like it Does

The minute I step out of the bathroom, the previously muffled sounds of teenage debauchery and blaring pop music become incredibly loud and almost unbearable. My already shaking hands clench into fists and my breathing hitches again; it takes my all not to retreat to my pathetic excuse for a hideout, but impatient partygoers flooding into the room and my desire to hide in my own house keep me from losing my cool again. I take a shaky breath and force myself into the crowd of wasted teens, my anti-social behaviors threatening to tear me apart from the inside out unless I get out of here quick.

I shove my hands in my pockets to make sure my keys are still there and haven't been swiped by some jock who thinks it's hilarious to keep me from getting home and, as I do a brief inventory check of the things I brought with me, I realize I left the rest of my costume back in the restroom. There's a very small part of me that wants to go back for it, but one solitary fact holds me back: Jeremy helped me work on it. It's such a stupid reason to leave something we worked genuinely hard on behind, but it's valid enough for me.

More tears threaten to pour as I remember what he said to me before shoving his way back into the party: "Get out of my way, loser." I've been called every name in the book (thanks, Rich), "loser" being used the most often, but hearing the words come out of my best friend's mouth just made something snap in me. I've gotten used to the torment since, according to the status quo, there are so many reasons for the popular kids to hate me, so I can normally just shrug it off and get on with my life. Not this time. Not when I know this means he's really done with me.

God, I hate him. I really, truly hate him. But at least I know I'm disposable in his eyes because I deserve better than being in a friendship where I'd be abandoned for the stupidest of reasons. I deserve better than what he gave me.

I realize I've been staring at the ground the entire time I've been walking and jerk my head up suddenly to get my bearings. You'd be surprised at how hard it is to navigate through a house filled with loud kids getting trashed, especially when you aren't paying attention to where you're going. I'm thrown out of the throng of people and into a surprisingly quiet room that I can only assume is the study; the furniture and atmosphere indicate that I'm right, but it's nearly impossible to tell since the guys who love property damage have already had their way with it. Bookshelves are tipped over and their contents are all over the floor, the remnants of fragile decorations are scattered everywhere from having been thrown at the walls, and a writing desk has been totally flipped over. I'd probably call it "art" if I were as stoned as the people that did it.

I'm quick to get on out of there and continue my search for the exit, but I stop dead in my tracks when I hear someone nearby. It turns out there's a girl sitting on a couch that's actually upright who I didn't notice before, and she's... crying? I can't see her face since it's buried in her hands, but I can tell by the seductive nature of her costume that she's one of the higher-ups in Middle Borough's social hierarchy. I don't understand; I thought people like her were supposed to have fun at these things.

I freeze and find myself completely unable to move. I'm torn between options; I want nothing more than to be in my own bed right now, but I can't just leave her here. You know something's bad when one of your local Plastics is having a meltdown in the middle of the biggest party of the fall, and it's obvious no one else is going to bother to ask her what's wrong. Before I can even fully decide, I'm warily stepping towards her as a voice in the back of my head screams at me.

We're supposed to HATE HER.

She's one of the popular kids. The odds of her being one of your tormentors are ridiculously high.

Why should we help her?

I brush off the voices in my head and tenderly touch her shoulder. She jumps a little and stares up at me with wide eyes before another wave of sobs rack through her body. Now that I can actually see her in full, I recognize her instantly: Brooke Lohst, ranked the second hottest girl in school. The girl Jeremy's been dating. The makeup she obviously worked hard on has been watered down by her tears and is now running down her face, marring her natural beauty, and she's not even trying to put on a brave front. "What's wrong?" is all I manage to eak out.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Brooke knows that I don't believe her; I can tell by the dejected look that crosses her face. I sit down next to her, though keep a fair distance away so I don't seem overbearing and she doesn't think I'm trying to hit on her.

"You sure? You don't really seem like it."

She seems surprised at first, but finally gives in as she speaks through the tears. "No," she admits miserably. "Tonight sucks and I was actually really looking forward to it."

"Well, what happened?" I'm shocking even myself with how gentle my voice sounds. One minute I was out for blood and the next I was fully prepared to comfort a crying Brooke; I guess seeing someone as upset as I was just about 10 minutes ago brought some things into perspective.

"I was... I was supposed to meet up with this really nice guy I've been seeing and I did, but..." She sniffs and has to withhold another sob. "I found him and... and Chloe together."

Yikes.

But why am I not surprised? Jeremy seems to be on a roll when it comes to totally screwing his loved ones over, and Chloe has a reputation for not exactly being loyal.

I've never been cheated on before, but I can't imagine a situation where it doesn't hurt like hell. The worst part is, Brooke actually isn't as cruel as some of the other cool kids; she's pretty sweet, and quite attractive to boot. A lot of the people at school consider her their dream girl and she just got dumped in the middle of an ocean of partygoers by her best friend and a kid who had had almost no experience with girls before her.

"You've got to be kidding me." I know that sounds insensitive, but it's the first thought that crosses my mind. She shakes her head vigorously. "Well, you know what? Screw them."

"What?" 

"Obviously, they don't deserve someone like you if they're gonna throw it all away like that." Before I know it, I sound super preachy. Probably because I'm speaking a little from personal experience. "You deserve a lot better than that. People suck, as we've already established, but it gives you the chance to find someone better. Someone who'll treat you right."

Brooke doesn't even know how to respond for a moment, and, though I'm pretty confident in what I told her, I'm actually scared that she'll take it some wrong way because I said something accidentally offensive. But after a minute, she offers a tiny smile and a timid "Thanks."

I return the expression with a smile of my own. "Don't mention it. No one should be alone at one of these things."

"Yeah."

I realize something that might be kind of important. "Hey, do you have any way to get home?"

Brooke looks at the ground, almost ashamed. "Chloe WAS my ride, but I guess that's not gonna happen."

"I'm pretty sober and I've got a car if you don't wanna walk."

Her expression brightens. "I'd like that. I mean, if it's not a problem."

"It's no big deal. I was probably gonna bail, anyway." She's smiling really shyly now, and I feel pretty good about my decision to stick with her. Like I told her, no one should have to stay alone at a huge party after a massive heartbreak.

I stand and, as we both leave, we kind of guide one another through the groups of people still hardcore partying. I think we're both equally as relieved to feel the cool night air on our faces when we finally make it to the exit; it's been a long night, and it's about time to retire. When we clamber into my sorry excuse for a ride, I examine the change in her demeanor and realize something.

Yes, Jeremy broke my heart. And Brooke's. And probably someone else's. But that doesn't mean the world's gonna end. Life is gonna change a lot without him and it's gonna hurt for a while, but we'll make it out alive. 

We're gonna be okay.


End file.
